The 13th sequel of ‘My Karachi – Oasis of Harmony’ exhibition of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) will kick off on Friday. It will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at Karachi Expo Center in which local and foreign exhibitors will showcase their products and services in front of around one million visitors.
The three-day long exhibition, which will conclude on March 27, will provide a platform for business-to-business and business-to-consumer meetings besides providing recreational facilities to Karachiites who participate in this glittering event every year.
Highlighting the journey of My Karachi Exhibition, KCCI President Younus Muhammad Bashir recalled that BMG Chairman Siraj Kassam Teli, during the year 2004 as KCCI president, felt that there was a need to clarify the negative perception about Karachi city which mainly emerged due to negative projection by the media, particularly the western media.
He said My Karachi Exhibition kept on improving every year thanks to all the former presidents of Karachi Chamber who made untiring efforts with a focus on further improving this exhibition as compared to previous ones. Consequently, this exhibition has become one of the biggest event of the city and has expanded from three halls to all six halls of Karachi Expo Center.
The KCCI has been regularly organising this exhibition without any commercial objective but with a vision to promote the positive image of Karachi and the tag line of ‘Made in Pakistan’ worldwide, he added. Younus Bashir also appreciated the support extended by the Sindh government, the governor and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan in making this event successful.
He was of the view that despite numerous problems confronting the economy, the business community remained steadfast to face the challenges and remove obstacles impeding the pace of commercial and industrial activities. At 13th ‘My Karachi – Oasis of Harmony Exhibition’, domestic as well as foreign businesses will once again be participating with a view to synchronise their trades. The KCCI was certainly playing a commendable role in safeguarding the interests of business community and assisting them in every way possible, he added.
He was confident that exhibition would provide an excellent chance to explore true trade potential of Karachi in particular and Pakistan in general, which was home to natural beauty, traditions and cultural heritages.
“We have designed 13 sequels of the exhibition to expose the great potential of regional trade. We have also planned to organise an international pavilion which also features a dedicated diplomatic pavilion in which complimentary stalls have been provided to various Karachi-based consulates,” he added.
The KCCI president, while welcoming the support extended by the government of Sindh and TDAP, hoped that this year’s exhibition would also succeed in achieving the desired objectives. Highlighting various arrangements and recreational facilities to be offered at the exhibition, Special Committee for My Karachi Exhibition Chairman Muhammad Idrees stated that around 300 stalls showcasing Pakistani products and services had been established at this year’s exhibition.
“All out efforts have been made to attract maximum number of visitors and foreign exhibitors at this event with a view to promote the positive image of Karachi city which is the economic and financial hub of the country,” he said.
Idrees further informed that for the second consecutive year, a dedicated lawn fabric and designers’ pavilion had been established at the exhibition this year in which some of the well-known brands of Pakistan will be showcasing their lawn fabrics. In addition to dedicated food court, special arrangements had been made to organise pet and bird shows during the exhibition for entertainment of visiting families, he added.